Avalanche Watch issued February 22 at 8:19AM MST by NWS Missoula MT

AVAMSO

The following message is transmitted at the request of Idaho Panhandle
Avalanche Center Sandpoint ID.

…AVALANCHE WATCH ISSUED BY THE IDAHO PANHANDLE AVALANCHE CENTER…

06:00 PST Sat Feb 22 2025
The Idaho Panhandle Avalanche Center in Sandpoint has issued a BACKCOUNTRY
AVALANCHE WATCH for the following areas:

NWS Missoula MT –
MTZ001 (MTZ001)

NWS Spokane WA –
ID 017 (Bonner County)…ID 021 (Boundary County)…ID 079 (Shoshone County)

* WHAT…An Avalanche Watch is in effect from Saturday 6 AM PST to Sunday
6 AM PST. Very dangerous avalanche conditions are likely to develop by
Sunday morning and raise the danger to High (Level 4of5).

* WHERE…The Selkirk, West and East Cabinet, Purcell, and Bitterroot
Mountains – Silver Valley above 4,000 feet.

* WHEN…In effect from Sat 06:00 PST to Sun 06:00 PST.

* IMPACTS…A warm, wet storm will deliver a combination of dense storm snow
and moderate to heavy rainfall to the snowpack. The snow line will likely
rise to between 6,000 and 7,000 feet by Sunday evening. The combination of
strong winds and rain saturating the upper snowpack may be sufficient to
overload weak snow layers and cause a widespread cycle of avalanches large
enough to bury, injure, or kill a person. Some of these avalanches could
release naturally, and it will become very easy for backcountry travelers to
trigger them.

* PRECAUTIONARY / PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…Travel in or below avalanche
terrain is not recommended during this period.

Consult http://www.idahopanhandleavalanche.org/ or www.avalanche.org for
more detailed information.

Similar avalanche danger may exist at locations outside the coverage area of
this or any avalanche center.